Showing posts with label death. Show all posts
Showing posts with label death. Show all posts
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Grandma Passed Yesterday
Louise Bennett passed away peacefully on Wednesday June 4, 2008 with her family at her bedside. Born October 1, 1920, in Columbia, South Carolina, she married James Bennett and moved to Baltimore, Maryland. In addition to raising a family, she spent a rewarding career in public service. She worked for the State of Maryland, was an assistant to Senator Charles MacMathias, and served in the White House through 4 administrations. Her last position was as a protocol officer for the State Department. She moved to Santa Monica 8 years ago and served as a school volunteer at the Getty Center and Villa. A true Southern lady, she would light up a room with her wonderful smile and gracious demeanor and truly touched all who knew her. She is survived by her two daughters, Jayne Bennett and Julie Feldman and her son in law Richard Feldman and grandson Nicholas Feldman.
Dianne Odell
Below are photos of Dianne Odell's iron lung displayed at her end of life ceremonies.
What are your opinions views and feelings of having our assistive devices displayed during last rite ceremonies when we have passed on?
Member adaptdan/johnny crescendo recently posted candidly about end life last wishes akin to this discussion as well.
I mean no disrepect to Miss Odell and family but I personally have a hard time with the way Dianne Odell's photo is at the headreast of the iron lung that she had to spend her life in, appearing very much like a casket display itself.
Why not wake Dianne herself in a casket or display her photo alone? To me the iron lung was not Dianne. It was equipment she had to rely but failed during a power outage and contributed to her death.
We don't see mangled cars displayed up front, first thing, for the services of people who die in car wrecks. Or other assistive devices of the departed like canes, toupee's, false teeth, artificial joints limbs, organ transplants, etc, displayed with the person's picture on top of it, so why the iron lung display?
Just my opinion. Varying opinions welcomed and encouraged here.
=====press photos of Dianne Odells funeral services below======
Jason Howell, right, looks at awards and photos of Dianne Odell during the visitation Friday at Campbell Street Church of Christ.
Josephine Murphy looks at Dianne's photos, awards and honors, including an honorary member certificate from the Red Hat Society and a 'Duchess of Paducah' plaque from Paducah, Ky.
Guests pass Dianne Odell's iron lung as they enter visitation on Friday at Campbell Street Church of Christ in Jackson.
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My response:
I do not think it would be inappropriate in any way. For Dianne Odell's picture to be displayed I think is a normal process. People were used to seeing her in the iron lung, and that's what people knew. I have a lot of friends who use iron lungs, wheelchairs, and respirators, and they would not be bothered one bit by having their technology displayed at their memorial service. I think people fail to communicate that people with disabilities are very grateful for the assistive technology. I know one thing: I want my wheelchair buried with me when I go. I oftentimes look at my chair that I use as my legs and I think about how many miles my wheels have gone, and how invaluable this technology is that allows me to drive with my chin, just as Dianne Odell's iron lung allowed her to breathe. This is an issue of dignity, and what really should be the focus is the soul of the person. Is anyone afraid of the iron lung? I'm confused.
Nick
What are your opinions views and feelings of having our assistive devices displayed during last rite ceremonies when we have passed on?
Member adaptdan/johnny crescendo recently posted candidly about end life last wishes akin to this discussion as well.
I mean no disrepect to Miss Odell and family but I personally have a hard time with the way Dianne Odell's photo is at the headreast of the iron lung that she had to spend her life in, appearing very much like a casket display itself.
Why not wake Dianne herself in a casket or display her photo alone? To me the iron lung was not Dianne. It was equipment she had to rely but failed during a power outage and contributed to her death.
We don't see mangled cars displayed up front, first thing, for the services of people who die in car wrecks. Or other assistive devices of the departed like canes, toupee's, false teeth, artificial joints limbs, organ transplants, etc, displayed with the person's picture on top of it, so why the iron lung display?
Just my opinion. Varying opinions welcomed and encouraged here.
=====press photos of Dianne Odells funeral services below======
Jason Howell, right, looks at awards and photos of Dianne Odell during the visitation Friday at Campbell Street Church of Christ.
Josephine Murphy looks at Dianne's photos, awards and honors, including an honorary member certificate from the Red Hat Society and a 'Duchess of Paducah' plaque from Paducah, Ky.
Guests pass Dianne Odell's iron lung as they enter visitation on Friday at Campbell Street Church of Christ in Jackson.
-----------------------------------------
My response:
I do not think it would be inappropriate in any way. For Dianne Odell's picture to be displayed I think is a normal process. People were used to seeing her in the iron lung, and that's what people knew. I have a lot of friends who use iron lungs, wheelchairs, and respirators, and they would not be bothered one bit by having their technology displayed at their memorial service. I think people fail to communicate that people with disabilities are very grateful for the assistive technology. I know one thing: I want my wheelchair buried with me when I go. I oftentimes look at my chair that I use as my legs and I think about how many miles my wheels have gone, and how invaluable this technology is that allows me to drive with my chin, just as Dianne Odell's iron lung allowed her to breathe. This is an issue of dignity, and what really should be the focus is the soul of the person. Is anyone afraid of the iron lung? I'm confused.
Nick
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
The Lunatics
People come into our lives, and we don't realize how crazy they are! One fine day a lunatic showed up at my door and I gave him a job helping me roll over at night. It wasn't too long before my little Yorkshire Terrier would be up for hours while this man would talk.
Over the years I grew to understand this man who used the "n word," not because of the meaning of the word, but because of the shock value it contained. The man contained vulgarity and shock and a whole lot of cussing, but underneath the shell of the man was the ego that knew everything and the man people would see as an outcast who sat in bars for hours and drank whiskey straight. Who bet at the dog track, not to win money, but just to tell everyone how right he was. He had trouble dealing with the years of abuse as a child, and the inability to be touched. I think I have known this friend for quite some time, and I consider him a brother. He lost a brother to AIDS, who he still talks to. I think that people deserve to be looked at under their shell, where you can find out who people really are as people. We don't do this enough as a society. We must do more to ensure that everyone gets a fair, equal life full of passion and love. We must also not let the man drive us crazy, and yes, I have been driven to that point, but like he rolls me over, and I hang in there, and not because I want to, but because I feel compelled. I know there are others who bother the man who gets in the way of his thoughts and feelings. Yes, folks, he hates cell phones and computers, he cusses at the bureaucrats, and he tells it like it is, even when you don't want to hear it. Well, I have to come up with 10,000 dollars, and the driver to drive me to LA in the coming weeks. The man won't go with me; he is too torn up inside, but he will fill my ears when I get back of all the apartment cleaning he did while I was gone (his own apartment). If you have the opportunity, I ask that you think about my grandma for a minute: she has brain cancer, and this is her final journey. She is at home and comfortable.
Over the years I grew to understand this man who used the "n word," not because of the meaning of the word, but because of the shock value it contained. The man contained vulgarity and shock and a whole lot of cussing, but underneath the shell of the man was the ego that knew everything and the man people would see as an outcast who sat in bars for hours and drank whiskey straight. Who bet at the dog track, not to win money, but just to tell everyone how right he was. He had trouble dealing with the years of abuse as a child, and the inability to be touched. I think I have known this friend for quite some time, and I consider him a brother. He lost a brother to AIDS, who he still talks to. I think that people deserve to be looked at under their shell, where you can find out who people really are as people. We don't do this enough as a society. We must do more to ensure that everyone gets a fair, equal life full of passion and love. We must also not let the man drive us crazy, and yes, I have been driven to that point, but like he rolls me over, and I hang in there, and not because I want to, but because I feel compelled. I know there are others who bother the man who gets in the way of his thoughts and feelings. Yes, folks, he hates cell phones and computers, he cusses at the bureaucrats, and he tells it like it is, even when you don't want to hear it. Well, I have to come up with 10,000 dollars, and the driver to drive me to LA in the coming weeks. The man won't go with me; he is too torn up inside, but he will fill my ears when I get back of all the apartment cleaning he did while I was gone (his own apartment). If you have the opportunity, I ask that you think about my grandma for a minute: she has brain cancer, and this is her final journey. She is at home and comfortable.
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